Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
VANESSA
Vanessa scrolled through properties on the estate agent’s website. She couldn’t avoid the fact that the handful of shop fronts available in Birmingham that might work for her cafe looked somewhat grey and lifeless when set against the cafes in Barcelona.
She was sitting at a table outside Carmen’s cafe, dipping churros into molten chocolate.
The rich sweetness coated her tongue. Perhaps she could create a sense of warmth and sunshine in her home city through the decor and the food she served.
She opened another listing. It didn’t help that the pictures looked like they’d been taken on a rainy, overcast day.
She shook her head. She needed to focus.
This was her dream, her ambition. This was what she’d promised her gran.
This was what she’d promised herself: that she’d stick to this plan. She wouldn’t flake on it.
Carmen delivered her an iced coffee. “Have you found somewhere?” she asked.
“Maybe,” said Vanessa, but her heart was saying something else. “A few places for me to have a look at when I go back.”
“Good. I’m sure it will be a success. Your bakes have been so popular with my customers,” Carmen told her. “Between those and the local delicacies Joey’s been teaching you, I think you have something special to offer.”
Vanessa beamed. “Thanks, Carmen. And thanks for welcoming me into your bakery. I wouldn’t have learnt nearly as much without you.”
Carmen raised an eyebrow. “Or Josefina.”
“No,” said Vanessa.
“She likes you,” said Carmen, her voice just above a whisper. “That doesn’t happen very often.”
Vanessa wasn’t sure what to say, so she gave Carmen one of her warmest smiles.
“Just be careful with her,” said the older woman, before patting Vanessa on the shoulder. “Right, I’m leaving early today. I’m off to see my grandchildren.” She grinned.
“I bet they love their granny,” said Vanessa.
“And I love them,” said Carmen, clasping her hands together before going into the bakery to gather her possessions.
There was something wonderful about the love Carmen gave out, not only to her grandchildren, but also to Vanessa and Joey.
It was clear Joey meant a lot to Carmen, and Vanessa was determined not to hurt her.
But she also knew that there was no easy path for them, if they went from kisses and glances to something more.
“You look deep in thought.” Joey’s face appeared before Vanessa.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” said Vanessa. “I was just thinking about that torn-out recipe from my book.” While that wasn’t strictly true, it had been on her mind. There was an enduring mystery about the book that she was determined to solve.
“Well if I can drag you from the past, I wonder if I could take you out this evening?” Joey looked down at Vanessa from where she stood. She nibbled at her lower lip.
“I’d love to,” said Vanessa immediately, all thoughts of cafe premises and the future evaporating in an instant.
Joey’s cheeks reddened in a way that made Vanessa’s heart swell. There was no doubt about it, this was a date, and this was Joey making her intentions clear. She wanted Vanessa. And Vanessa was here for it.
“I’ll come and pick you up at seven,” she said, and quickly disappeared into the bakery to return to the kitchen. Vanessa watched her go, feeling excitement build in her stomach.
Vanessa agonised over what to wear. She had a beautiful floaty dress that she hadn’t worn since she’d arrived in Barcelona.
But would that be too dressy? She put it on and examined herself in the tiny mirror in her apartment.
She loved the way the line accentuated her curves and echoed the wave in her dark hair.
She wasn’t sure where Joey was taking her, but once she’d put on her makeup, she decided she didn’t care.
She felt beautiful, and she wanted Joey to see her that way.
There was a knock on the door. Vanessa suddenly felt nervous. She hoped she was worthy of Joey’s attentions. Carmen’s words about being careful echoed in her head. She took a deep breath and let Joey in.
“Hi.” Joey gave her a shy smile. Vanessa gazed at Joey’s linen shirt and trouser combo, her mouth falling slightly open. Joey had done her hair differently, and it framed her face beautifully. “You ok?” Joey looked concerned. “We don’t have to go out.”
Vanessa laughed. “No, sorry. I just, I was feeling a bit, um, nervous.” She put her hands behind her back and shook her head. “And you look so good.” She flushed.
Joey grinned, looking Vanessa up and down, her blue eyes glowing. “You look beautiful.” She shoved her hands into her pockets. “And I’m more nervous than you can possibly imagine.”
“Well,” said Vanessa, gathering herself, “let’s make a deal. There’s no point in us both feeling nervous. We can cancel each other out, relax and enjoy ourselves.”
Joey laughed. “Good plan.”
It wasn’t long before they were sitting at a small table in a dark tapas restaurant. Unprepossessing from the outside, it was all soft lighting and friendly smiles inside.
“This is my favourite place for dinner,” said Joey, her eyes sparkling.
“Ooh,” said Vanessa, her heart full. “I feel honoured. What do you recommend to eat?”
Joey smiled and then ushered the waiter over.
He seemed to know her, welcoming her warmly and speaking quickly to her in Spanish.
Vanessa was always impressed with Joey’s bilingual skills, and somehow today she seemed even more accomplished.
“Do you mind if I order for both of us?” Joey looked at Vanessa, breaking into English for her benefit.
“Please do,” said Vanessa. “I have no doubt you have excellent taste in dishes.”
Joey turned back to the waiter and reeled off a list of different dishes. Vanessa was able to pick out some of the vocabulary, but many of the words were unfamiliar. She made do with smiling at the waiter as he scribbled on his tiny pad of paper.
“I’ve ordered you some wine. I hope that’s ok,” said Joey.
“Of course. I hope you’ve ordered something good to drink, too.” Vanessa looked across at the other woman, who seemed in her element in this place.
“Home-made iced tea. It’s a speciality of theirs,” said Joey.
“Well you’ll have to give me a taste of that,” said Vanessa. “Can’t have you keeping it all to yourself.” She couldn’t help the flirtatious tone in her voice.
Joey chuckled and went bright red. There was something adorable about how much thought Joey had put into this evening, and how shy she was.
The meal was exquisite. The waiter brought them ten or eleven different dishes, each one delicious in its own way.
There were flavour combinations Vanessa had never experienced, and she asked Joey hundreds of questions about which ingredients were used.
Joey, in turn, was knowledgeable and delighted to tell her about the way in which each dish had been prepared.
The evening flowed, and Vanessa found herself wrapped up in the small world they had created between them.
She admired the silver rings that adorned Joey’s fingers.
She never wore jewellery at the bakery, of course, so Vanessa was seeing a new side to her.
She listened as Joey told her about the first time she’d come to Barcelona, all alone.
She described taking a job washing up and cleaning at the bakery with Carmen, and how the older woman had taken her under her wing.
“I was incredibly lucky to meet her,” admitted Joey, rubbing her chin with her hand. “It was a big risk just leaving the UK. And my Spanish was pretty rudimentary.”
“Better than mine, I’m sure,” said Vanessa.
“Yours is coming along,” Joey reassured her. “But Carmen was patient with me. She unlocked a passion in me for baking and Spanish culture, and she taught me everything I needed to get to where I am now. I owe her everything.”
“She loves you.” Vanessa’s voice was quiet. “It’s clear to see, in the way she looks at you.”
“Ha.” Joey rolled her eyes. “I’m a pain in her arse. But she’s fond of me, I suppose, yeah.”
“She loves you,” reiterated Vanessa. “And I can see why.”